Synthesis of the Ti3SiC2 by solid state reaction below melting temperature of Si

In this study, TiCx (x = 0.67)/Si powder mixture was used to synthesize Ti3SiC2 by pressureless heat treatment below the melting point of Si under Ar atmosphere. Ti3SiC2 was synthesized using TiCx/Si powder mixture with a molar ratio 3TiCx:1Si at the temperature range of 900-1340 °C without forming any other intermediate phases. Ti3SiC2 was simply synthesized by a direct reaction between TiCx and Si in a solid state. Furthermore, it appeared that high purity Ti3SiC2 could be synthesized from TiCx(0.67)/Si powder mixture by optimizing Si contents in the powder mixture even at 900 °C.